Social conditions have greatly increased the demand for laboratory testing business forms, for such things as drug testing, testing for communicable diseases, and testing for predisposition toward medical problems. It is extremely important for all such testing that the integrity of the specimens tested be maintained and accurate identification of the specimens be provided, otherwise serious consequences can result, including persons who are using drugs working in sensitive jobs, or unfairly competing with others in sporting events; persons who do not use drugs being unfairly discharged; persons with communicable diseases receiving inadequate treatment and potentially infecting those around them; persons with predisposition toward medical conditions not receiving adequate treatment; and persons receiving treatment when they do not really have predisposition toward a medical condition.
In response to the needs identified above, statutory regulations, such as in the United States, have been promulgated which, for certain situations, require the taking of two different specimens, sealing the specimen containers with labels, and then sealing the box in which the specimens are provided. Also, a number of manufacturers have produced labels which have tamper evident features, such as a label produced by 3M of Minneapolis, Minn., identified as Scotchmark.RTM. 7385 tamper evident film, and other tamper evident products discussed in the background portion of U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,042.
According to the present invention, a business form is produced which contains a piggyback label having a tamper evident feature, and which complies with statutory provisions relating to proper sealing of specimens and boxes containing the specimens. The business form according to the present invention is ideally suited for testing laboratories, for testing for drugs, infectious diseases, and the like, presenting the multiple label portions that are necessary for statutory compliance, or desirable for maximum utility, so that they are readily associated with printed indicia on the form, allowing easy completion of the form, cross referencing data on the form and labels, and yet providing maximum utility of the label.
According to the present invention a business form is provided comprising the following components: A main paper ply having indicia on a top face thereof. A piggyback label assembly on a portion of the top face of the main ply, spaced from the indicia. The piggyback label assembly comprises: a first adhesive layer engaging the top face of the main ply; a release liner covering the first adhesive layer and having a top face opposite the first adhesive layer; a second adhesive layer covering the top face of the release liner; and a label covering the second adhesive layer; the first adhesive having a much greater affinity for the main paper ply and the release liner than the second adhesive has for the release liner. And wherein at least a portion of the label comprises a tamper evident feature so that once the label portion is removed from the release liner and applied to a surface, when it is removed from the surface the label portion will indicate tampering.
The label preferably is the 3M 7385 label described above, which indicates tampering by portions of the label remaining with portions of the second adhesive on the surface to which it has been applied, while other portions of the label and second adhesive release from the surface. The portions of the label and second adhesive remaining with the surface form the words "VOID" in the release portions of the label.
As required by statute for certain types of labels, for drug testing for example, the label according to the present invention preferably comprises three separate and distinct portions, namely first and second strip portions and a block portion. The strip portions are parallel to each other and have approximately the same size and shape, while the block portion has a different size and shape. The block portion is adjacent the first edge of each of the first and second strips, which edge is in line from one strip to the other. The second edge of the first strip is adjacent the third edge of the second strip portion. The strips typically have indicia on the top face thereof indicating a specimen designation for laboratory testing, while the block portion has indicia indicating application to a box. Preferably all three portions have the tamper evident feature.
Typically the label comprises a polyester imprintable film. The release liner comprises an approximately 55 pound per ream kraft paper, with release coating on the top face thereof, which engages the second adhesive. The first adhesive preferably comprises a high tenacity acrylic adhesive, and the second adhesive comprises a high precision acrylic adhesive, with less aggressiveness than the high tenacity acrylic adhesive.
The business form according to the invention preferably comprises a multi-ply form, that is having at least a second paper ply underlying the main paper ply with image transfer means therebetween (e.g., carbonless coatings, or carbon paper), and typically include as many a seven or eight parts.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an efficient and effective business form particularly adapted for allowing ready filling out and utilization of tamper evident labels. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.